Ziwei Yan

Post-CBS Goals:

Product Marketing Specialist / Marketing Consultant

CBS Activities or Clubs:

Marketing Association of Columbia, Greater China Society

Favorite NYC Activities:

Broadway shows!!!

What drew you to pursue a Master of Science degree at Columbia Business School?

I chose the Master of Science in Marketing at Columbia Business School because it sits exactly at the intersection of who I am and who I want to become. As an undergraduate, I studied advertising and statistics, and through my internships I realized I’m most energized by marketing when I can connect the creative side of branding with the analytical power of data to drive impactful business decisions. Columbia’s program is built around that balance between art and science, teaching me how to turn complex data into clear, actionable marketing insights. I’m also drawn to the program’s emphasis on real-world application through coursework and capstone projects with industry partners. Combined with Columbia Business School’s strong reputation, global network, and the energy of being in New York City, I knew this program would give me the skills, perspective, and community to grow into the kind of marketer I aspire to be.

Which courses or professors have had the biggest impact on your learning so far?

One course that has had a particularly big impact on me is Media Planning and Growth Marketing with Professor Bolong Li, who is also VP, Global Head of Growth at Audible, Amazon. The course really sharpened my digital marketing skill set—from understanding different paid media channels and building full-funnel growth plans, to hands-on work with conversion rate optimization, A/B testing, and using first-party data for retention and lifecycle campaigns. I also appreciated how Professor Li constantly brought in real-world perspectives, including guest speakers from Audible, which helped me connect the frameworks we learned in class to the actual decisions growth teams make in industry.

What’s been the most valuable insight or skill you’ve gained from learning at Columbia Business School?

One of the most valuable things I’ve gained at Columbia Business School is a much deeper, more practical sense of what it means to be customer centric. Instead of jumping straight to tactics, I’ve been trained to slow down and really understand the customer’s journey, pain points, and motivations—and then use data to validate (or challenge) those instincts. Through courses and projects, I’ve had hands-on experience with both qualitative and quantitative research, from primary surveys and interviews to analyzing secondary market reports. That mix of structured research and real-world feedback has made me much more likely to ask, “Would this actually matter to the customer?” before I design a campaign or analysis, and it’s changed how I approach almost every marketing and business problem now.

What have been some of the most valuable relationships or connections you’ve built through this program?

Some of the most valuable relationships I’ve built have been with my peers in the MSM program. They come from incredibly diverse academic and professional backgrounds, so working with them on projects has really pushed my thinking and shown me different ways to approach the same problem. We also support each other a lot on the recruiting side—sharing leads, reviewing each other’s resumes, and doing mock interviews together. I’ve also benefited hugely from the MS Career Management team, especially Christina Hwang. She has been a constant support throughout my job search, from organizing career workshops to helping me think through interview strategy and even questions that came up after I received offers. It’s made the whole process feel much less lonely and much more guided.

How has access to Columbia Business School’s resources and alumni network shaped your professional opportunities or mentorship experiences?

Columbia’s career resources and alumni network have made my job search feel much more focused and less overwhelming. The Career Management Center has helped me sharpen my resume and interview pitch, so they better reflect my strengths and interests. At the same time, the alumni network has been incredibly generous—many alumni have taken the time to do coffee chats, walk me through their day-to-day, share honest interview tips, and in some cases even refer me or pass my resume to their teams. Those interactions have given me both concrete opportunities and a clearer sense of the kind of roles and environments where I’d thrive.

What would you tell a prospective student about managing the fast-paced structure of the MS program? Any application tips you would like to share?

I’d tell a prospective student that the pace is intense, but it’s much more manageable when you come in with intention. Having a clear sense of what you want to get out of the year—whether that’s pivoting into a specific function, building certain technical skills, or exploring an industry—really helps you prioritize classes, projects, and recruiting instead of trying to do everything at once. And you don’t have to figure it out alone. Some of my best support has come from simple messages to classmates, alumni, or professors asking, “Can I get your advice on this?” People here are genuinely willing to review your resume, run a mock interview, or just share how they made their own decisions.

For the application, I’d focus less on sounding “perfect” and more on being honest and specific: why this program, why now, and how your past experiences connect to where you want to go. Showing that you’ve thought this through—and that you’ll really use the resources here—goes a long way. For Columbia Business School’s MS in Marketing specifically, it also helps to show that you understand the “art + science” nature of the program: highlight both your quantitative side and your curiosity about consumers, and use one or two concrete examples (a project, internship, or class) where you’ve already tried to blend data with marketing judgment. That makes it much easier for the admissions committee to see how you’d fit and contribute to the program.

What has been the most rewarding part of your MS journey so far?

For me, the most rewarding part of the MS journey has been feeling myself grow into the kind of marketer I used to only imagine. Somewhere between late-night project work, learning to wrangle messy data, and presenting real recommendations to companies, I stopped seeing marketing as either “creative” or “analytical” and started to feel confident doing both. On top of that, sharing each other’s wins—like internship offers or a great presentation—with my classmates has made the whole experience feel less like an 18-month program and more like building a community I’ll carry with me after graduation.

Post-MS career interests?

After the MS program, I’m most interested in roles in product marketing or marketing consulting. I’d love to work at the intersection of data and storytelling—helping companies understand their customers better, shape positioning and go-to-market strategies, and use insights to drive real business growth.